


Tumblr Prompts

by Orianess



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: And Now For Something Completely Different, Multi, Tumblr Prompts, fun with writing, mature themes, warnings per chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:36:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 14,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21516850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orianess/pseuds/Orianess
Summary: A collection of the random things I’ve done for tumblr. I will write warnings, if any apply, per chapter summary.
Relationships: Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Comments: 56
Kudos: 64





	1. “Is that my shirt”

**Author's Note:**

> For prompt by Rai-knightshade- “is that my shirt?”

Jack hasn’t been home in almost 2 weeks and when he finally gets in it’s somewhere just after 2 AM. He’s the living definition of bone tired when he flops down on their couch.

He wants nothing more than to go climb into bed with his beautiful partner but he knows if he does, Mac will wake up and be unable to sleep again. As it is, Jack reeks of mission grunge and he needs a shower but he’s too tired for all of that. He’ll just catch a little shut eye right here and then kiss Mac good morning when he wakes up.

Or he intends to, his brain drifting to the right side of sleepy when a light noise by the hall jerks him back to waking. When he opens his eyes to scan the room for whatever his senses picked up, he wonders if he’s dreaming because suddenly Mac is standing there wearing only one of Jack’s t-shirts and a soft smile.

“Welcome home.” Mac says quietly. “Thought you were coming back tomorrow.”

Jack shrugs and crooks his fingers to beckon Mac closer. “Wanted to see my boy early.”

Mac hums in agreement as he walks, the hem of Jack’s long faded ZZ Top shirt tantalizingly low enough to cover him but not enough to hide the fact that he’s not wearing boxers. “Well I’m glad you did. Your boy missed you.”

Mac comes close enough that Jack can tug him into his lap, resting his hands on Mac’s bare sleep-warm thigh and asks, “is that why you’re wearin’ my shirt?”

Mac grins unashamed, a perfect flush to his cheeks. “Smells like you. Come to bed?”

Jack lets Mac lead the way. Sleep is overrated anyway.


	2. “You’re my everything”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Rai-knightshade - “you’re my everything.”
> 
> Tw- drugged Jack with zero filter equals silliness

“Mac. Mac. Mac!” Jack whisper-slurs from where he’s draped himself across Mac’s shoulder as they head for exfil. Jack is heavier than a drunk sailor at the moment, out of his mind on truth serum and sedative. He’s been talking, rambling away, every little thing that comes to mind while Mac drags him along as quickly as he can.

Jack had started saying all kinds of things the minute Mac had found him. He had started by telling him about what a good boyfriend he was, what an amazing partner he was, and what a genius he was. Then it had ventured into x-rated themes and Mac had ordered them to go off comm for the sake of Jack’s dignity.

“Mac!” Jack whines in his ear, tugging heavily on Mac’s shirt and Mac sighs.

“Yes, Jack?”

“Duuude, you’re like, like... the coolest person I know.”

“You told me, buddy. C’mon keep moving.”

“Yeah but like like you’re so awesome.” Jack continues, stumbling and Mac catches him, hauls him into a steadier upright position.

“I know, Jack. You’re awesome too, man, s’why I need you to keep goin’.” He grunts when Jack clings to him a little tighter and almost tumbles them over together.

“Yeah we’re awesome!” Jack mumbles, drunkenly enthusiastic. “We’re like Butch Cassidy and Sundance.”

“Yes, Jack.” Mac agrees patiently. They’re about a mile from their destination, all he has to do now is keep Jack moving.

“We’re like Abbot and Costello. We’re like Tonto and the Ranger. We’re like like...”

“Peanut butter and jelly?” Mac offers and the bright trusting smile Jack gives him makes his heart ache.

“Or like waffles and syrup... or uh...Mac! You’re the Mac in my mac and cheese!” He giggles, pleased with his joke and Mac laughs a little too.

“You’re like...” Jack starts to continue and goes quiet suddenly. Mac turns to him and Jack’s wearing a sterner expression with a touch of confusion.

“What is it, Jack?” Mac asks, pausing when Jack stops walking. 

“You’re... you’re my everything.” Jack says so softly and his confusion melts into joyous wonder. “Mac, you’re my everything.”

Mac can’t help but smile at the innocent look in Jack’s face. They’ve said all this to each other before, said their ‘I love you’s to each other a few dozen times already, but having his badass partner lay it out all over again in such an uninhibited state is extra adorable.

Mac takes Jack’s stubbled cheeks between his hands and leans in till there is only a few inches between them. He doesn’t know if Jack will remember any of this later but he would never leave Jack hanging.

“You’re my everything too, Jack. And I love you so much, but we need to keep moving now, okay?” Mac requests and Jack nods slowly, the happiest smile firmly rooted on his lips. They walk and they get to exfil without any complications.

Jack ends up in medical for a night on fluids to flush the drugs out of his system and groans himself awake somewhere close to dawn.

“W’happened?” Jack mumbles and Mac strokes his knuckles with his thumb. 

“Don’t worry about it, Jack. You’ll be fine. I’ll tell you about it in the morning.”

“Mhmm.” Jack agrees sleepily. “Still tired.... weird dreams.”

“About what?”

“Dunno... s’mthin’ ‘bout mac n’ cheese.”

Mac manages to contain his laughter till he gets out to the hall.


	3. Super Sad thing!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Rai-knightshade- “please don’t say goodbye”
> 
> Tw: major character death, cancer, grief
> 
> If you don’t want to get sad, turn back now, you’ve been warned. 😭

This is not how this is supposed to go.

Jack is the older one. He’s supposed to die first. He’s always been ready to go first. The older person isn’t supposed to watch the younger one die. It’s not fair.

But that’s what happens the year Mac turns fifty three, instead of a birthday cake he gets a cancer diagnosis and orders to start chemotherapy.

They cry about their frustrations and the injustice of it all but resolve themselves to fight the good fight.

It becomes apparent early on its a losing battle.

Mac gets sicker from the chemo. Really sick. He drops weight so quick he looks like the wind could blow him away with one hard gust. Jack is with him through it all, never stops talking Mac up, promises he’ll never leave him.

He couldn’t leave him if he tried.

About seven months into the chemotherapy, the doctors give him a terminal prognosis. The cancer is spreading too fast. He has six months at most. They give them options and Mac decides he doesn’t want any of them, he just wants to go home.

They have a terrible fight about it but Jack eventually sees reason, even if he hates it, when Mac lays it out to him plainly.

“Jack, none of its working. You saw the results. Don’t make me spend my last few months with you in more misery than I need to be. Please?”

Jack could never deny him anything, not when Mac asked him so simply.

They make arrangements as need be. They tell everyone eventually. No one takes it well but Bozer takes it harder than anyone.

Their little family ends up setting up a make shift base camp in their living room, taking turns spending as much time as possible with Mac while they can. Mac is too weak to do much moving around so they end up watching movies in the living room from a hospital provided bed.

Mac stays pretty heavily doped out on morphine to ease his discomfort, sleeps more than anything. Jack stays with him and counts every waking hour like a piece of precious gold because it is.

At four months, when it hurts too much to eat, and Mac refuses to bother with it, hospice services are brought in.

Mac is nearly skeletal at the end, the cancer devouring him from the inside. They turn the morphine up as high as possible to keep him comfortable and he slips in and out of consciousness.

One night, Mac wakes and he’s the most lucid he’s been in a week. His perfect blue eyes are glazed in pain but they’re clear and determined, a look Jack remembers from their service days. It’s almost time.

“Jack... love you.” Mac rasps dryly. Jack nods, feels himself almost losing control, but he holds on to his calm, for Mac.

“Love you too, Mac. Rest sweetheart, I’m here.”

“...y’always are...” Mac whispers, a tiny curve to his lips. “ ...ll’miss you...”

Jack’s control falters and the tears burn hotter than anything he can remember in his whole life. “I’ll miss you too darlin’. Won’t be a day I won’t. I don’t want you to go, man. Please, Mac, don’t say goodbye. I want more time.”

“Glad you’re w’me...” Mac says as he blinks at him with a fond tired grin and Jack wipes at his eyes, nodding.

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

Mac’s breathing slows down and stops a few hours into the morning. When the nurse checks on them, Jack is laying beside him, quietly crying into his still chest, just a broken man grieving his other half.

Three months after that, Riley plans to take Jack out to lunch and when she arrives at the house to pick him up, she finds Jack on the couch, face peaceful with sleep and missing a heartbeat. In his hand is a picture of Mac sitting on the hood of the GTO, a halo made of sunrise behind him, face gentle with laughter.

Riley’s only surprise on the matter is that Jack had held on so long without Mac


	4. “You showed me what love feels like.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Rai-knightshade - “youve shown me what love can feel like”

When they initially hooked up for the first time, they hadn’t really discussed their actual relationship upgrade from work partners to life partners. After all, things were essentially the same, they work together and they eat together and they hang out with the same friends but now they sleep together. It’s not that they didn’t need to talk, it was just that the change had happened so smoothly, it felt almost like a natural progression.

So it was a bit of a surprise for Mac when they’re laying together after a particularly rigorous evening in bed and Jack turns to ward him with a soft sigh.

“Can I ask you something?”

Mac turns in to face him and they’re pressed in close, the length of their torsos and legs pressed together with only a thin sheet to separate them. “Anything.”

“Why do you want me?”

It’s so innocuously stated, like they’re discussing the color of the sky that Mac can barely understand the question.

“What do you mean, Jack?”

“I mean, what in the world is a beautiful, talented genius like yourself doing falling into bed with an old spook like me? You could have anyone, Angus, really. You’re whole life is ahead of you and you seem awfully dead set on lettin’ me weigh you down. Not that I’m complaining here, I’ve never been so happy in all my life, I’m just totally lost on how this happened.”

Mac is searching Jack’s expression to see if this is a joke he’s trying to play, trying to see if there’s an incoming punchline but his partner’s face is completely honest, waiting for an answer. He hadn’t realized Jack thought so lowly of himself, like he was some sort of substandard option Mac had saddled himself with.

“Did someone say something about us? Did I say something that made you think-?”

“Naw, darlin’. Nothin’ like that.” Jack assures, presses a chaste kiss to his forehead, his nose, and then lightly on his lips. “It’s just... well, call me old fashioned, but if a deal is too good to be true, it often is. And that big gorgeous brain of yours is always on some next level shit man, I just want to understand what’s going on in there a little better.”

Mac is beyond words for a moment, struggling to find the right words to dissuade Jack from thinking he’s some kind of lover’s consolation prize. “Jack I want you because there’s no one else who gets me the way you do. You’re patient with me, you understand me even when I’m not sure I understand myself. You’re brave, you’re kind, you’re generous, you’re smart-“

Jack laughs at that, “c’mon now, now I know you’re just yankin’ my chain.” And Mac can tell that he doesn’t believe what Mac’s saying so he feels he has to convince him right now or Jack might never believe him at all. He throws himself over Jack till he’s straddling his waist and he takes Jack’s face into his hands.

“You better listen to me right now, Jack Wyatt Dalton. You’re smarter than people give you credit for, including yourself. You’ve shown me what real love feels like and that’s not a lesson I could ever pay you back for. You showed me that I can rely on someone to have my back in all situations and that’s a gift beyond any I could ever ask for. You give me so much, the real question is what more could I want?”

Jack stares at him in wordless awe for a long moment and Mac leans in to seal those words with a kiss, to bring them to life with his own air. The way Jack kisses him back, Mac thinks they’re finally on the same page.


	5. “That was so hot”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Rai-knightshade - “that was so hot”
> 
> Tw- captured team, bamf! Jack

Jack is so many things to their little family, a father figure, a confidant, the protector, the moral support, the prankster, a big brother.

None of them talk about the fact that Jack is the glue that binds them all together so well, it’s just kind of the facts. But every now and again they get a wake up call, a reminder that fun-loving joke-cracking Jack wasn’t always just their Jack, he was someone else very different once not too long ago. He was and still is very much a warrior.

And they get a reminder today. 

They were all captured, a terrorist cell who was looking to get their hands on Mac’s genius knowledge of explosives. And of course they had taken the whole team knowing Mac likely wouldn’t cooperate without a little persuasion in the form of a knife against his team’s throat.

Jack’s been amazing, stalling for time, bringing the ire of the irritated terrorist down on himself by goading them with snippy quips about their beliefs and ridiculous plans. He’s gotten himself beat up on so badly, Mac’s pretty sure he heard a couple of his ribs snap on the last hit.

And now that Jack’s purple faced from punch after nasty punch, the terrorist are enjoying making fun of him.

“What makes you think you could protect these children from us? You couldnt protect them anymore than you protect yourself. You are powerless without your guns, soldier. An old washed up fool who will die alone in this hole while your friends watch.”

Jack goes still, head hung low, and whispers quietly. “You’re right, I am just an old fool.”

“No Jack!” Mac pleads, can’t stand the sadness in his lover’s voice, and gets a backhand across the cheek for it.

Jack looks up and gives him a humble smile, “ it’s ok. He’s right Mac. I couldn’t protect you guys. And you guys are all much better than I am, I’m pretty washed up in comparison. For instance, Mac you coulda been out of your handcuffs in two minutes if you had a paper clip. And me? It took me ten.”

The terrorist who had been berating him only had a moment to look surprised before Jack leaped at him.

Everything that happens from there is almost too fast to process. Jack moves with the graceful fluidity of a predator in its element, violence incarnate, his hands that have cared so gently for all of them now deadly weapons of lethal force. A fight of seven on one shouldn’t be over so quickly.

When Jack is finished he turns back to them, a pile of bodies at his feet, with a rueful grin. “You guys aren’t free yet? Do I have to do all the work around here?”

Jack unites them from their bonds quickly and Mac cannot help but steal a kiss from Jack’s bloodied lips, even though they’re in the field and they both agreed their PDA didn’t have a place on the job. Riley and Bozer snicker but they don’t say anything as they jump into action to salvage their situation. 

Mac pulls back from the kiss and stares at his boyfriend with the warrior soul, covered in other men’s blood, and it shouldn’t be nearly as sexy as it is. “That was so hot.”

Jack laughs under his breath even as he pulls Mac into his arms. “Thought you might be afraid of me after that little show. You don’t often watch me rip people apart with just my hands.”

Mac shakes his head even as he listens to the steady thrum of Jack’s adrenaline fueled heart. “Afraid for you, Jack. Never of you.”

His warrior gets them home safe.


	6. “Remember when we were little”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Rai-knightshade - “remember when we were little” for Mac and Bozer
> 
> Friendship story

Bozer and Mac sit on the deck and have a beer while they watch the fire crackle. It’s quiet, it’s just them for a change, everyone gone home for the night. Bozer sighs as he stretches out easily beside Mac in his chair.

“Man I can’t remember the last time we just hung out like this.”

Mac pauses mid sip and considers that. “Yeah, too long. When was the last time?”

Bozer snorts. “Probably before the whole you told me you were a regular James Bond thing.”

“Yeah.” Mac says quietly, a little sad. “I’m sorry. Life’s been so crazy. We need to hang out more.”

“Totally! We should get back to our wild and crazy selves.”

Mac snickers at that. “Wild and crazy? You mean nerding out over the Nintendo and watching horror movies?”

Bozer gives Mac a sideways look with a smirk. “I don’t know that that’s all we did. Remember some of the stuff we got up to when we were little? Dude I thought my mom was gonna kill us.”

“Like when I made the marshmallow turner?”

Bozer laughs, “no but that was good too. I was thinking more about the time we made that potato gun and nearly blew up the shed. Correction, YOU nearly blew up.”

“I did not almost blow up the shed. I put a small hole in the roof, completely not blown up.”

“Oh well excuse me then. But if I recall, you did blow up that old microwave. And what did you call it when my mom stormed in ready to skin both of us alive? You called it and I’m quoting directly ‘a minor malfunction’!”

They both roar with laughter, recalling Mother Bozer running into kitchen with curlers still in her hair and a furious befuddlement, trying to understand how two nine year old had practically destroyed her kitchen. When they finally calm down, Bozer raises his beer up and Mac clinks his against the side.

“Here’s to my brother from another mother.” Bozer salutes and Mac laughs. He couldn’t have asked for a better night or a better friend to share it with.


	7. “Wow you look... amazing”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For cicicthedreamer - “wow you look ...amazing”
> 
> Mission shenanigans

“I’m not doing it, I look stupid.” Jack growls from within the dressing room for possibly the third time. The team groans in unison. 

Mac sighs, “it can’t be that bad.”

“Dude, it can and is!”

“Just come out here.” Mac pleads, exasperated, and Bozer adds, trying to be helpful, “yeah man, we’ve all worn stupid things for OPs before. You know we won’t laugh.”

“I might.” Riley teases and Jack huffs grouchily in turn.

They had caught a notorious cartel boss earlier ‘visiting family aka selling coke’ in west LA and minutes after his capture, he had been messaged about an upcoming meeting with another wanted cartel member. They all decided to kill two birds with one stone and have someone go to the meetup dressed as the current captive but the one person close enough in size to fit the suitcase full of eccentric clothes was Jack.

“Jack we’re almost out of time. Just get out here so we can make sure you look like our bait.”

The door to the dressing room swings open and Jack steps out, arms at his side in helpless surrender. He’s dressed in some very snug white leather pants that accentuate... certain areas in vivid detail and the least gaudy shirt he could find in the trunk which was an open chest billowing yellow flower print satin piece, completed with a black wig of curly hair that fall to his shoulders.

Riley bursts into immediate laughter and Bozer has to cover his with a cough before turning away to hide his reaction. Mac neither laughs nor turns away.

Jack’s very muscular thighs are so outlined in the leather, he can see the definition of muscles. His chest is perfectly exposed, the light smattering of chest hair framed just so in the wide vee of the shirt and it highlights the strength in his neck and shoulders. He looks like he could have modeled this piece in a 70s magizine, he’s certainly got the pouty look for it.

Mac isn’t joking at all when says quietly, “Wow you looking... amazing.” Jack scowls at him.

“I look like Elton John, no disrespect to the man himself, but his wardrobe doesn’t belong on me. I’m gonna be made in a second, this will never work.”

As it stands, it does in fact work. They get the other guy and Jack can’t start stripping down fast enough when they get back to the Phoenix and his outfit garners a few cat-calls and whistles from the female staff in the halls. 

Mac catches his boyfriend in the locker room trying to tug his tight leather pants off and Mac can’t resist.

“Those pants look great on your ass but they’d look better on the floor of my bedroom.”

Jack whirls around to look at him with red in his cheeks and a playful smile on his lips. “Bet you say that to all the guys in leather pants around here.”

Mac’s right, they do look good on his floor.


	8. “Are you flirting with me?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for (tumblr) thesammykinz aka BlackVultures (ao3) -“are you flirting with me?”

Mac’s been acting weird for days, starting right after they had gotten Sarah back, and it’s really starting to throw him off.

He’s been complementing Jack everyday, first on the same old shirts he’s had forever, then he told him he liked his hair with the spiked up mohawk even thought its been that way a while, and he even said that he liked the cologne he used, which was awkward because he hadn’t been wearing any at the moment. And now at every opportunity he’s been telling him the dumbest dirty jokes on the planet, which is just not Mac’s style, that’s more his territory. He even mentioned that he thought Jack looked like had trimmed down a bit, joked that Jack didn’t need to hit the gym so hard all the time, he was already in great shape. It’s just been weird. 

He mentions it all to Riley one night and she just gives him an exasperated look. She then asks if Jack’s blind or stupid for missing the obvious signs of flirting. Jack nearly spits his drink out. He tells her she’s wrong and she says he should just ask Mac, says she bets twenty bucks that she’s right. Jack agrees to ask partly because he wants the twenty but more because he intends to use Mac’s resounding ‘no’ as material to tease her in the future. 

So he asks the next time Mac makes a good natured comment about Jack’s leather jacket. “you know this is crazy and all but Riley seems to think, well… Are you flirting with me?” 

Mac’s cheeks flush a bit and he laughs under his breath shaking his head. “You finally noticed? Thank god I was starting to run out of material. Was gonna have to start tripping over things so you’d catch me, if you didn’t figure it out soon.” 

Jack gapes at him in astonishment and Mac just laughs. Best twenty dollars Jack ever lost.


	9. “Nobody has seen you for days.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for (tumblr) Panchostokes aka badwolfrun (ao3) - “nobody has seen you for days”
> 
> Tw: ptsd grief, depression

The light sound of unhurried knocks awakens Mac from his place on the couch and Jack’s voice follows after. “C’mon man open up. Nobody’s seen you in days.” 

Mac doesn’t answer, keeps his head down, eyes closed, perfectly still. He hopes if he doesn’t answer Jack will take the hint and just leave him alone. Most days, he’s game to slip his poker face on and push the pain down, but he cant this time, not today. 

“Mac… I know you’re there. Please let me help. Please?” Mac sighs and goes to open the door. 

Jack doesn’t say anything, just pats his shoulder and slides inside, goes to settle himself on the couch, pulls up a nature documentary about the ocean. Mac rejoins him, they don’t speak, they both pretend to watch the show. It’s hours later, when Jack’s forced a bit of water and a sandwich on him that Mac tries to put it into words. 

“I know I couldn’t have saved him.”

Jack goes still listening, waiting patiently for Mac to spit out the poison from his guilt ridden mind. 

“But I just wish I had. Pena was a good guy, you know? He deserved better than me… And I worry…” Mac has to take a hard swallow of water before he can finish the thought. “I worry someday I won’t be able to save you either.” Jack comes forward and wraps his arms around Mac, strokes his bangs from his face and rubs his back, the same way he has almost every year on the anniversary of Alfred Pena’s death when Mac’s guilt weighs him down. And Jack won’t promise that it won’t happen, because in their line of work, those promises always feel hollow. 

“I know.” Jack tells him softly, because Jack has lost enough people both personally and in the field that he knows better than anyone. Mac sighs and sinks into the feeling of Jack’s hand smoothing circles against his too stiff shoulders. 

Things aren’t okay, but he’ll recover from this spiral. Tomorrow, he’ll hold his head up tall, use the pain to push forward, but not today. 

Today he lets himself hurt for his failure and revels in the fact that he’s not alone while he does. Thank god for a good Overwatch.


	10. “You left me breathless”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Rai-knightshade - I don’t remember the exact prompt but it was something about being left breathless 
> 
> Mission shenanigans

“This will never work.” Jack grumbles into the comm as he stands off the main stage area of a huge theater. He’s succinctly shushed by Matty or Riley, he’s not sure, but he rolls his eyes.

“I’m just sayin’, he’s gonna get made the second the lights come up. It doesn’t matter how much training Mac’s had, they’ll be able to tell the difference between a professional ballet dancer and a substitute pretending to be one.” Jack adds, hates the fact that they’re using Mac as bait to catch a psychopath who’s been stalking this particular ballet performer, who also happens to be the son of a prominent world leader. “This is a stupid risk.” 

“I’ll be fine Jack.” Mac says calmly in the comm, somewhere behind stage, “just be ready to move. The curtains are about to go up.”

Jack sees even in the dark of the theater that the orchestra in front of the stage is obviously ready to start. The soft sounds of string instruments fill the air and the curtains begin to rise. 

A spot light hits the stage as a pair of dancers walk out into the light. Graceful and elegant they stride to position and Jack forgets to breathe. 

Mac is dressed in a nude colored leotard, the material imbedded with sequins that emphasize each band of muscle as he moves in the pattern of the opening dance. His hair is swept back, sleek and smooth, and around his eyes there is dark purple eyeshadow that makes the blue of his eyes flash in the light. 

The music syncs to their steps and Mac does a spin into a perfect pirouette before he lifts his female partner like she’s feather light. It’s a tame, simple dance, but Jack is hypnotized, can’t remember a time he’s ever seen anyone so beautiful and he’s most definitely not talking about the girl. 

“Breathe Jack.” Riley says, beside him, and Jack nearly chokes when he manages to inhale. “He’s gonna be fine.” She promises and Jack is immensely relieved that she interpreted his lapse of cognizance to be worry not lovestruck-awe. 

They continue to dance and at the swell of the music both Mac and his female co-star leap into the air. Jack, much to his embarrassment, feels himself go light-headed when he lands with a striking pose, the light of the stage glimmering all around Mac making him look like he’s speckled with vibrant starlight.

He had always known Mac was a good looking man, had often let his brain wander into inappropriate daydreams about what it would be like to press in close for a taste of those lips or to smell the curve of his neck. 

But it’s much more than that, he realizes.

Mac is more than a pretty face, he’s a wonder, he literally brought Jack to the edge of control, had nearly made him pass out just by existing. It makes him ache with a need to reach out and touch, to speak the truth he’s held on to for so long. 

Of course that’s the minute all hell breaks loose. 

The creeper makes his move and, rushing the stage with a knife, heads straight for Mac. Mac allows himself to be ‘tackled’ beyond the curtain where he scuffles with the attacker and Jack is right behind him. The perp is taken down immediately and local PD are waiting to take the man in and it leaves Jack and Mac standing in the hall behind the stage, somewhat awkwardly. 

If you ask him why he chooses now to say something he couldn’t tell you. He just hopes he’s not wrong. 

“You looked great out there.” Jack offers and Mac quirks an eyebrow, a self deprecating smile on his face. 

“Yeah well, I didn’t get to pick my outfit.” 

Jack shakes his head, quickly, “no man, no. I’m serious. You… you were amazing. Not that you aren’t already amazing…” jeez, Dalton, shut up. You’re dying like a freshman on prom night. 

And Mac must hear something in Jack’s tone because instead of laughing, he tilts his head and frowns, considering. “Really?” 

Jack nods, nervous at the intensity in Mac’s eyes. “A’course.” 

Mac gives him a tiny smirk and steps forward into Jack’s space. “I didn’t realize you were interested in ballet.” 

And this is the moment where Jack could bow out, back down, crack a joke and laugh it off but Mac’s tiny hint is too good an opportunity to pass up. 

“I’m interested in you.” Jack promises simply and the flush of pink in Mac’s cheeks is all the answer he needs. 

They go home together that night and Jack finds that he appreciates Mac’s lithe body, in and out of the leotard.


	11. “Soulmates prompt”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For KatieComma - “soulmates are able to see each other’s perspective in dreams”
> 
> Tw- upsetting imagery, war scenery, suicidal implications

For as long as Mac can remember he’s had terrible nightmares. 

Ferocious, terrifying dreams of fire and blood and screaming. His parents never understood but they tried their best to comfort him. He can still distinctly remember the feeling of his mom’s tears in his hair after a particularly horrifying night of thunderous booming and yells of pain. She’d always hold him through the worst of them and it helped. Then she died and he was alone with the agony of his miserable dreams. 

He didn’t sleep much, only when he had to. It was only after he’d gone to live with his grandfather a few years later did he get answer to what it all meant. 

Soulmates, his grandfather explained, could see their other half’s perspective in dreams. It was strange and disorienting at times but a proven fact all the same. As you got older your bond with them would strengthen to the point you could feel what they felt. Mac decides a few days later he doesn’t want to meet his soulmate.

He wakes from a dream where he sees ‘his hands’ choking the life from another man and when Mac screams himself awake, he can feel the tiniest kernel of an emotion that isn’t his own. Satisfaction. His soulmate is a killer. 

Mac can only pray they never meet. 

It goes on forever it seems. Whoever they are, they’re never in the same place and they’re always on the move. They must live abroad, Mac realizes when he sees a different language spray painted on the wall in one of the dreams and Mac hopes they stay where they are, that being countries apart will keep him safe from them. Mac despises guns because they constantly show up in the dreams. More than one nightmare has featured the terrifying perspective of looking through a sniper scope and watching the far off splatter of red mist for every successful shot. 

He often cries for the terrible loss of life at the hands of his soulmate and wonders how they continue to be an agent of death in the world with no end in sight.

He doesn’t know how it’s possible to hate someone you’ve never met but he hates his soulmate. 

Until one day he doesn’t because this time the dream is different. 

He dreams of standing at a sink, staring at red stained water swirling down the basin. The bloody hands now freshly washed cling to the edge of the sink with a white knuckle grip and Mac realizes he can feel something. It takes him a second to understand it because it’s something he’s never felt before and it’s absolutely overwhelming. It a sweeping numbness that consumes everything down to the soul and it aches like no pain Mac’s ever had before.

The perspective of the dream switches from staring at the water in the sink to a face in a mirror. It’s a man. His face lined with exhaustion, dark circles under even darker brown eyes, stubbled cheeks shadowed and gaunt under the florescent bathroom light. Staring at the man’s worn expression Mac understands what he’s feeling is despair, his soulmate’s despair to be exact, and it’s beyond measure for anything he’s ever felt. 

“I’m…” the man starts to speak to himself in the mirror and his chin trembles as he lets out a gusty sigh. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for what you’ve seen. You don’t know how sorry I am…” his eyes search the mirror like he expects an answer and Mac’s heart pounds as he realizes the man is apologizing to him! “I wish things were different… I’m sorry. You deserve better than me…” The man’s gaze drifts over to a gun, the initials J D etched into the handle sitting beside the sink and Mac can feel the way the despair throbs and pulses like a second heartbeat. 

Mac wakes up screaming but it’s different from his normal terror. This time he’s afraid for his soulmate, not because of him. He doesn’t know how it can be as simple as meeting their eyes one time can change his hate into desperation for them to live but it’s true. He wakes himself up early nearly everyday for the next month and talks to the mirror and hopes his message gets through.

He makes a schedule of it, up early and talk to mirror, lunch time go to bathroom and talk to mirror, before bed talk to mirror. He hopes the law of probability will prevail and at least one message will get through. He doesn’t get dreams after that day and he hopes it doesn’t mean what he’s afraid it means. 

His world changes after that. He still doesn’t like guns but after seeing the terrible pain in his soulmate’s eyes, it wakes something up in him that demands he start helping people. Help anyone, help everyone he possibly can. Maybe he can’t save his soulmate but he can try to save as many people as possible. It’s this very idea that spurs him toward military service. He puts his head and his heart into doing the best he possibly can and hopes he’ll run into those dark brown eyes again someday. He doesn’t have a lot of hope, but he tries not to give up on them. 

Which is why he’s completely stunned when he walks into a barracks and finds a familiar set of initials on the handle of a gun he recognizes. He whirls just in time to get clocked in the jaw by someone who barks at him to keep his hands off their stuff. He looks up, their eyes lock and the world comes to a very slow standstill. He sees the recognition in the man’s eyes as he kneels down to look at him closer. 

Neither of them move for a moment, they both study each other before they scramble to their feet when their CO walks in and introduces them as partners. “Sargent Jack Dalton, meet your new EOD tech, Specialist Angus Macgyver.” 

When they’re alone again, they shake hands and Jack gives him a gentle smile. “Thank you.” 

Mac tilts his head and frowns. “For what?” 

“My name’s Mac. I will find you. Don’t give up.” Jack quotes the words like he’s quoting scripture and Mac stops breathing for a second. 

“So you did get my message.” 

Jack chuckles lightly. “About fifteen times. But it helped.” 

Mac smiles. “I’m glad.”

They work together like a well oiled machine as an unstoppable force. They’re efficient and perfect and the envy of the base. They have each other’s backs at every turn, the blood on each other’s hand they wash away together. The rest is history.


	12. “Don’t lie and say you’re fine.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Rai-knightshade. “If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. But don’t lie and pretend you’re fine.”
> 
> Takes place after 3x14
> 
> Tw: mentions of character death, guilt, ptsd behavior

Riley comes in to start an early workout, wanting to take advantage of an empty Phoenix gym and finds it already occupied by Mac.

He’s working the punching bag with furious intensity, eyes unfocused and teeth bared, and it’s a sight so unusual she finds herself staring for a moment too long.

Everything about it is wrong, his stance is unbalanced and each hit lands with too much force and speed, clearly hurting himself without concern for the clean up afterward. He’s a runaway train, ready to come off the track. She watches him, can see him physically and emotionally coming unglued, and decides she needs to do damage control.

She gets in his peripheral range and waits for him to acknowledge her. It takes a minute but eventually he stops and turns to her, snarls a cold, “What?”

She merely arches an eyebrow in response and he deflates a little, still glaring at her. He huffs when it becomes clear she’s waiting on him to speak first and he sighs. “I’m fine, Riley. Bag’s all yours.” He mutters and begins to turn away, heading for the locker rooms.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s your call. But don’t lie and say you’re fine when you really aren’t.” She calls over her shoulder and he freezes mid stride, whirling to look at her. 

His expression is all sharp cold fury as he begins to stalk back toward her. She’s never seen him like this before, and she’s only seventy percent sure she’s not about to get the same treatment as the punching bag. 

When he’s less than a foot away from her, he crosses his arms and takes a stance. “Riley, if you got something to say, please just say it.”

She tosses her gym bag down and mimics his stance, doing her level best to look relaxed. “Okay, fine. You’ve been a wreck since we got you guys back from Vegas and you aren’t getting better. I know I don’t know everything you guys went through in that bunker but I know you holding it all in and not talking about it, isn’t going to help you get over it.”

Mac closes his eyes and takes in a slow breath before he sighs, scrubbing a hand down his face. After a ten count pause, he asks, “look, this isn’t something I’m going to be able to get over in a week. I know you’re trying to help but believe me when I say I just need some space to work through it.”

“More space so you can beat yourself up some more?” She asks, reached over to grab his wrist, forcing him to look at the bruising on his knuckles. 

He steps back from her and she sighs. “You don’t have to deal with this alone, Mac. Whatever it is. And I’m not an expert at this whole bad vibes after a mission gone sideways thing, but I-“

“Riley, did Jack ever tell you how he became my Overwatch? Why he was assigned to me?”

She pauses, pulled up short at that. It wasn’t a story she had heard before and she wonders how it connects to their current conversation. She shakes her head and Mac quietly says,

“Riley my first Overwatch got killed because of me not being able to do my job fast enough. The reports all say it wasn’t my fault but I know the truth. He died because of me. And this man who kidnapped us? He was part of a mission me and Jack went on, except he and his partner didn’t come back with us. We were told they were dead from an explosion. And again, maybe we could say we weren’t responsible for it, it was just horrible circumstances and bad luck, but that doesn’t make the guilt feel any less real. And Jack had to shoot him so we could escape. Yes it was our lives or his but that doesn’t make it any easier to live with. I’m just tired of being the screw up that costs people their lives Riley. I work really damn hard not to let that happen but sometimes... sometimes it just happens anyway.” 

“Mac, I know you feel responsible but you didn’t-“

He holds up a hand for silence and his strained whisper is loud in the tense silence between them. “Zoe. Jill. Cage was almost a causality too. Like it or not, Riley, people get hurt when I’m not my best. And knowing that some day it could be you or Bozer or Jack...” he closes his eyes, exhausted, and sighs. “It’s a lot some days.”

“Mac...” she starts, means to find some words of comfort to soothe his pain but she can’t find anything strong enough in the face of this kind of pain.

“So yeah,” he says gruffly, a look of steely calm replacing the fury from before. “You’re right. I’m not fine. Maybe I never will be. And I know you guys are there when I need someone to lean on but sometimes...”

“You need your space.” Riley finishes and the look of grateful relief at her comprehension is like daybreak after a cold long night. Mac steps forward and wraps her in a quick tight hug before he retreats to the locker room in silence, leaving her to contemplate everything he said.

The next day, Riley finds him in the gym again and she doesn’t remark to him that he looks like he hasn’t slept or that he should probably drink more water if he’s going to work out so long. Instead she steps up on the treadmill next to his and settles into a steady pace, the sounds of their feet pounding in time together.

She realizes she can’t stop him from coming apart but at the bare minimum she can provide him a little company while he pulls himself together.


	13. “When I’m with you, I’m home.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For cicithedreamer - “when I’m with you, I’m home.”

When they have the talk about moving in together after nearly six months of sleeping together, it doesn’t quite bring the joy Jack thought it would.

It’s not that he’s not ecstatic about the idea in someways. The idea of being able to have Mac all to himself at all times when he’s on downtime brings him all sorts of happy feelings.

It’s just... Mac wants Jack to move into his place. And yes it’s more practical because he has more room and yes it makes more sense because Mac’s place is paid off already and it’s more private and about a thousand other things.

So why can’t Jack bring himself to just bite the bullet and start packing his stuff up from his apartment? It’s a stupid selfish reason but one Jack can’t get over any less. 

He’s not ready to give up his space, the little individualized corner of the world he made his own with his own style and decor and furniture. He couldn’t tell you if it’s the whole growing up with siblings thing that made him so fiercely protective of his personal space or if it’s the practical nature of spy work of only having what you need for job to job, but it’s still a problem. He doesn’t want to let this little slice of ‘his’ go and he’s dragging his feet on facing the issue.

Mac gives him a gentle couple nudges, suggests he could help him start packing, one weekend here or there, but Jack almost always deflects or makes excuses not to.

Until Mac finally calls him on it, a soft touch of hurt in his eyes. “You know if you don’t want to move in, all you have to do is say so.”

They don’t necessarily have a fight about it but it comes to a head after Jack deflects the subject over and over again until he finally says, “I’m not ready to lose my place!”

Mac throws his arms out to his sides in agitation and snaps back, “that doesn’t have to be your only option!”

It’s so obviously not the come back Jack was expecting that it actually brings him to a stuttering halt. “Huh?”

“Jack, all you had to say was you want me to move in with you instead.” Mac tells him gently, face patient but still lined with frustration.

“I couldn’t do that! That’s your home Mac, your Grandad’s place. You couldn’t just leave that behind.”

Mac stares at him with that distinct ‘are you being an idiot or a jokester’ glare before he sighs. “My house is just a house, man. When I’m with you, I’m home.”

Jack doesn’t even have the words to follow that up. Mac’s whole childhood, his only brief sense of security, was in that house and to him it’s just a place, not sentimentally worth the time of day compared to his apparent desire to be Jack’s live in life partner. To Mac, being with Jack is all that matters.

Jack scoffs and rubs at his temple. “Wow, I’ve been a real idiot.”

Mac just smiles at him, his favorite smile that’s just for Jack, and shrugs. “So does that mean I can move in?”

“Nope. Because I’m moving in with you.”

“You don’t have-“

Jack strides forward and pulls Mac into his arms. “I want to. Home is with you, wherever you are.”

They settle into each other’s arms, breathing deep and easy. 

“Besides, the only thing I can’t live without is my ol’ LazyBoy and it’ll fit right in at your place.” Jack teases and Mac makes a face, clearly imagining the ancient ratty recliner that is barely clinging to life in Jack’s living room. Mac pulls back and smirks at him, teases back, “Is it too late to withdraw the whole moving in thing?”

Jack laughs. “‘Fraid so, darlin’. You’re stuck with me now.”

Mac hugs him a little tighter, he’s never looked so at home.


	14. “You’re keeping me sane.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Rai-knightshade- “you’re the only thing keeping me sane.”
> 
> This takes place after the Crematory Rescue

When you’re healing, time doesn’t move quickly. Jack would know, he’s had plenty of injuries over his career, but he’d say he’s handling this particular case of stir crazy pretty well.

After all, it’s only the bottoms of his feet that were hurt so it gives him plenty of excuse to be a couch potato and sleep as much as he wants, which is kind of nice. 

Mac, however, is struggling and Jack gets it. With his hands burned, sleeping is uncomfortable because there really isn’t a good position to lay in that he doesn’t put pressure on them. And staying awake is worse because Mac is a tinkerer by nature and being unable to distract himself with manual activity is nigh impossible.

Around the fourth day of them camping out on the couches in the living room, while their volunteer nursemaid Bozer steps out Mac tries to settle into read the newspaper and Jack let’s himself drift off toward sleep. Or at least, Jack tries to sleep but he keeps waking up when Mac sighs. By the fifth agitated sigh, Jack has enough and turns so he can look at Mac, who’s currently hiding behind the newspaper.

“You doing okay, darlin’?”

“Mhm.”

Long silence followed by another sigh.

“That a good article you’re reading?” Jack asks.

“Yup. It’s very... readable.”

“ oh yeah? What’s it about?”

Mac sighs before he folds the paper down neatly and then wings it forcefully across the room from his bandaged claw, sending paper fluttering through the air like oversized confetti. “I don’t freaking know, I’ve read the same paragraph four times and I can’t concentrate.”

Jack gives his boyfriend a soft smile, he had guessed as much. “ would you like me to distract you?”

“How’d you plan to do that?”

He gestures for Mac to come sit with him on his sofa and Mac does, Jack pulling him to lay back against his chest.

Mac settles into him but he’s sulking like a kicked animal when Jack starts running a hand through his hair in gentle sweeping pulls. “Jack, I’m hurting too much to go to sleep.”

“Who said anything about sleep?” Jack asks. “You need a distraction, I’ll give you one. Did I tell you about the time I got caught in a shoot out with the Chinese mafia in Shanghai over a diamond?”

Mac huffs in amusement, rolling his eyes, but he settles deeper into Jack’s hold, head pillowed on his shoulder. “That was Indiana Jones.”

Jack chuckles, “of course it was, I was testing you. How about the time I went to jail in Japan and made friends with a Yakuza gun runner?”

Jack spends the next hour filling the silence, stroking Mac’s hair and talking about anything and everything he can think of. Mac chimes in once in a while but eventually he stays quiet, just listening to Jack tell him stories he’s already heard. After a long while, Jack pauses his story-telling and looks down at Mac who’s closed his eyes and breathes deep and even.

He whispers, just in case Mac’s asleep. “Have I driven you crazy with my yammerin’?”

Mac smiles and whispers back, “Actually, you’re the one thing keeping me sane right now.” 

“Well you know I’ve got more stories.” Jack offers and Mac frowns a tiny bit.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Mac, baby, you’re only stuck like this because you saved my life by literally pulling my ass out of the fire. I’ll talk all night if you asked me to. It’s the least I can do.”

“Well if you don’t mind...”

“You want me to keep goin’?”

Mac nods, nuzzling against Jack’s neck like an oversized puppy with an easy smile. 

“Okay then. Have I ever told you about the time we pranked our CO during our last week of Boot?”

“Probably. Tell me again?”

When Bozer checks back in he has to walk extra quietly as he brings in the groceries because they’re both fast asleep.


	15. “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For impossiblepluto: prompt “take my jacket, it’s cold outside.”
> 
> A little sick!Jack, DXS days.
> 
> Not my finest work but they can’t all be Pulitzer worthy 😉

Going on an OP with a cold was a miserable affair but occasionally an unavoidable one. Still, Jack’s a professional worth his salt, and he does his job despite feeling like hell but this particular bug was kicking his ass and then some. 

He was shivering one moment then sweating the next. He couldn’t take a proper breath through his nose for the stupid congestion and his throat burned for taking up the slack. To top it all off, he had a hellacious headache brewing right behind his eyes, making the world fuzzily unsteady. 

So when the OP is over and they’re sitting in an airport bar waiting for their flight home, Jack ignores drinking the beer he ordered in favor of pressing the cold wet bottle to his forehead and dreams of his bed and the cabinet full of cold medicine he can’t wait to take. He’s in fact almost literally dreaming about it when a light hand at his shoulder startles him to alertness again and he’s relieved when it’s only Mac.

“Hey bud, our flight’s at the gate. Are you ready?” Mac asks gently and Jack manages to grunt an affirmative as he gets on his feet a little unsteadily. Almost cautious, Mac presses his hand to Jack’s forehead and Jack just manages not to sigh at the relief of Mac’s cool hand against his forehead. “Dude, why didn’t you say something? I could got you some Tylenol earlier.”

Jack shrugs and sniffles, tottering a little when he shoulders his bag to a better position. “I’m not sick.”

“Pretty sure a healthy Jack Dalton wouldn’t have let his beer sit out long enough to condensate.”

“I’m fine, Mac.” Jack grumbles back.

Mac frowns at him but just shakes his head, doesn’t bother arguing. Jack shivers as they approach the gate and the AC blasts him too hard, which prompts Mac to take his jacket from the crook of his arm and drape it over Jack’s shoulders.

“I told you, I’m not sick.” Jack whines even as he tucks the jacket tighter around his neck, grateful for the warmth it gives to quell his shaking.

“I know.” Mac agrees, “but it’s cold outside and you didn’t bring a jacket. Just use mine for now. You can give it back when we’re on board.”

Jack’s too tired and too stuffy to argue with the fact that it’s summer where they are and that if it was actually cold outside, it’s no excuse for Mac not to keep his jacket. He just nods and leans into Mac as they walk on, throws himself down into the first chair he can. 

After a week, when Jack’s all better and the kid is suffering all the symptoms he had, he makes sure to return the jacket and the favor.


	16. “You can’t hide anything from me.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rai-knightshade requested the prompt “you can’t hide anything from me.” With a whump feel.
> 
> -tw: Near death, blood

“Are you out of your mind!?” Jack screams over the roar of the gun fire at Mac as the younger man knocks him down and covers him with his own body to avoid sniper fire.

They stagger to their feet and round a corner as Jack returns fire at the hostiles they’re fleeing. Exfil is en-route, they just have to hold their ground for a few minutes more till the chopper arrives. At least, if Mac can stop throwing himself in front bullets.

Jack glances over at his partner who leans heavy into the brick wall they’re using for shelter and assesses his charred jacket and mildly bleeding shoulder. “What the hell were you thinking? Y’alright? You didn’t get hit?”

Mac grimaces and sighs, grunting as he rubs his injured shoulder, “I’m good, I’m good. How far out is our ride?”

Jack glances at his watch then east beyond the trees behind them. “Two minutes. I’ll clear us an exit path if you can stop playing peekaboo with our sniper friend for a second.”

Mac rolls his eyes but nods and Jack lays down cover fire for them to make a run for the tree line just beyond the enemy compound. The chopper is just on the other side of the trees waiting for them as they make the final run for safety, throwing themselves gracelessly to the floor of the aircraft before they drag themselves up into the bucket seats while the pilot puts distance between them and the hot zone. Jack’s just started to get his breath back when he looks over at Mac and realizes his partner is still panting like they haven’t stopped running.

“Mac?” Jack calls over the wind and Mac doesn’t look at him, instead looks down as he opens his jacket to reveal a splotch of dark red staining his side and the top of his pants. 

Jack springs into action, banging on the wall to get the pilot’s attention and he orders them to head for the nearest hospital while he pulls a trauma kit from the overhead. He drops in front of Mac with the bandages and starts applying pressure to the kid’s side.

“Mac, why the hell didn’t you say you were hit?” Jack snarls as he presses down with one hand, checks his back for an exit wound. He doesn’t find one, and he’s not sure if it’s better there isn’t one. Mac groans and just gives him a hang-dog smile.

“Y’Couldn’t help... Didn’t want... you t’worry...”

Jack just shakes his head and adds another handful of dressings to the wound, silently cursing the red spilling over his fingers. “Don’t you know by now you can’t hide stuff from me?”

Mac’s smile fades and his head lolls as he tries to face him. “hid stuff... from you before. Guess there’s... no point now...”

“Hey don’t talk like that, you’ll be fine.” Jack growls at him but Mac doesn’t appear to notice. His face is screwed up with the effort not to cry and a whimpered gasp escapes him.

“M’so sorry Jack...” Mac sighs and Jack cups his face with his free hand, trying to get him to focus back on him. 

“Ya got nothin’ to be sorry for.” Jack promises him but that only seems to make Mac’s tears come faster, a steady trickle of them down his cheeks while he bites down on quiet sobs and it makes Jack’s heart swell with sadness. 

“I do... I’m sorry... m’sorry... hid it from you...” Mac flinches and moans as a shockwave of pain rushes through him but it doesn’t stop the words that tumble from his mouth. “I love you... I’m sorry it’s not right... but I love you... forgive me...” he begs around clenched teeth and Jack is so stunned by the words he can barely take a breath.

“You what?” Jack says and Mac’s head falls back, his body going slack in the seat and he taps Mac’s cheek urgently trying to get him to focus. It works for a second because those pain-hazy blue eyes sluggishly track to his and they look so unbearably distant. Mac’s expression gets relaxed and calm and with considerably effort, he drops his hand on to Jack’s wrist and gives it a light squeeze.

Mac doesn’t seem to have enough air for the words but Jack can read them just fine. “Love you... forgive me...” 

Jack takes only one second to stare at Mac, realizing that the younger man may die right here right now, and that he’s fading thinking Jack will hate him for telling him he loves him. Like a hundred day dreams and a thousand nightmares, he leans in and gives Mac a soft light kiss, pulling back so that he can stare directly into MacGyver’s eyes.

“Nothing to forgive.” Jack promises firmly and he swears he can see the light behind the blue of his irises flicker, happiness there within a slowly dying fire. Mac squeezes at his arm once more and his eyes slide close. They don’t open despite how much Jack screams for him to wake up.

-  
When Mac opens his eyes in the hospital a few days later, Jack grips his hand and cries tears of joy to see him awake. Before Mac can say anything, Jack says the words that have been floating around in his head since Mac passed out on him.

“I love you, Mac.”

Mac looks more than a little surprised but his exhausted smile is a shooting star in a too dark night. Jack kisses the back of Mac’s hand and watches his partner fall back into the healing hands of sleep. Jack will stay right here till Mac’s awake again and he’ll love him through every step of his recovery to come. His reason why is no secret. 

—


	17. “How did you find me?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Rai_knightshade- prompt how did you find me. Some MacDalton angst with a happy ending.

Jack’s an idiot of the highest order. That’s all there is to it. And as soon as he finds Mac, he should throw himself in solitary confinement so he can stop hurting the people he loves. But first he has to find Mac.

He’s called everyone they know who lives nearby. Bozer hadn’t seen him, Riley was out with Desi. Matty had promised to call if he came into the Phoenix. So far nothing. That’s why he’s been driving around the city for almost an hour, following Mac’s running paths, hoping to get lucky.

That’s all idiots like Jack have anyway. Luck. He had been lucky when Mac had taken a chance and kissed him, after all. He had been lucky they had kept their friendship and relationship a working part of each other. Right until Mac had risked himself keeping Jack safe in the field in possibly the stupidest way.

When they got home they fought. It wasn’t supposed to be a fight. But apparently Jack had been letting his insecurities fester because when they started talking, his voice got louder and before he knew it they were yelling at each other across the room. He was just trying to tell Mac to be more careful, that saving Jack just to die wouldn’t be being saved at all. 

But what he’d finally yelled was:

“All the love in the world won’t be worth it if you’re dead, Mac! If us being together means you die, then I’d rather not be together at all!”

There was so much hurt in his eyes as he stepped back toward the door, away from Jack.

“I’m sorry you feel that way. Because to me... just one day together is worth everything. It’s worth every risk... I couldn’t trade having you for anything else... because there’s nothing else I’d want.”

Mac had left, slammed the door, and by the time Jack had put his shoes on to follow, all he could see was Mac’s silhouette as he ran into the drizzling rain of morning. He let him go, after all, Mac was one to prefer space when he was upset, but when he didn’t come back after two hours, Jack had peeled out of the drive in the GTO and started searching.

He’s just about to head home, hoping maybe Mac’s gone home while he was out, when a thought occurs to him. He pulls the GTO hard around and heads to the cemetery. He’s playing a hunch here, but he’s gotten lucky before.

Jack can scarcely believe his eyes when he finds Mac next to his dad’s headstone. Mac doesn’t hear him walking up and he stays quiet, trying to listen.

“-maybe that’s just it, I guess. I’m afraid to lose him... I’m afraid to find out what I’ll be if he’s not here anymore. Because if he’s not here... then I’m no one. I’m just the weird kid who’s always stuck in his head. I’ll be alone again...”

Jack feels like his throat is going to close up, a hot wash of tears prickle against his eyes. He didn’t realize Mac felt that way, like his self worth is tied up in being Jack’s partner. He always thought it was just him that felt that way, like he was a no one without Mac. 

“Mac...” Jack whispers and Mac actually jumps, but he doesn’t get up from the wet grass he’s sitting in. Mac glances at the headstone of Jack senior and then back to Jack with a guilty look, eyes red rimmed from earlier tears.

“H-how did you find me? How did you know I’d be here?”

Jack shrugs. “Didn’t at first. But figured if you need someone to tell about what an idiotic jackass I am, my dad seemed like a good start.”

Mac snorts at that but he just looks back to the tombstone. “Well... he is a good listener.”

Jack comes over to sit beside him but he makes sure they still have a foot or two between them. He doesn’t want to spook him to run again.

“He’s a better listener than me, obviously.” Jack says quietly and he keeps his eyes on the grass when Mac looks over at him. “Doubt he’d have done something as stupid as yell at the person he loves for saving his life.”

Mac stays quiet, watching him, waiting. Jack sighs and forces himself to meet Mac’s eyes, to accept the sadness there is his fault and it needs to be righted.

“Mac, I’m sorry for what I said, how I said it. For all of it really. I just...” Jack takes a slow breath and closes his eyes. “I’m such an idiot sometimes. I love you and I love being with you. But the idea of losing you, of you dying for me. I’d be dead the second your heart stopped beating Mac. I couldn’t make it one day without you.” Mac slides his hand across the the grass to Jack’s and Jack grips it like a lifeline. 

Mac scoots over and pulls him in so their heads are touching before gently placing a kiss on the crown of his head. “I know. But you have to know that’s not gonna stop me from trying to keep you safe. If I can keep you alive, I’ll always have to try.”

“I know.” Jack sighs. “You wouldn’t be the man I love if that wasn’t true. And I’ll do my best not to freak out when it happens again but it makes me a little crazy, you know?”

“I do. So... Till the kaboom right?”

“Till the kaboom.” Jack agrees and he leans in to kiss Mac breathless. They go home, they still have things to talk about, but it can wait while Jack holds Mac all night long. Who knows how long they’ll have but it’s worth every second, Jack’s never been more sure.


	18. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ciccithedreamer- prompt “I didn’t know you could do that.”- has pre-MacDalton feels. A little angsty, open ended. (Tw: a little blood mention, nothing insanely graphic)

“Don’t move or I’ll blow his head off!” The assailant snarls from over Jack’s shoulder, one arm wrapped tight around the Texan’s throat and the other shoving the unforgiving metal of a gun muzzle against his temple.

Mac is a few paces away, submerged in the shadows of the basement they had tracked their terrorist to. It had all been going according to plan, find the bomber in the apartment building before he strikes again. Until the bastard got the drop on Jack. 

Jack watches the fear war for control in Mac’s eyes, watches it almost give way to panic before it settles into steely calm.

The guy behind him, psycho-bomber-whats-his-name, shoves the gun harder against Jack’s skull. “Don’t play me! I’ll do it! If you don’t do what I say, he’ll die!”

And Jack believes him. He’s killed several people already, and if they don’t get the trigger mechanism out of his pocket, hundred more will die. Jack doesn’t want the kid to do something stupid trying to protect him though. 

“Don’t listen to him Mac!” Jack orders, cut off with a cough when the air goes scant as his captor tightens his arm under his jaw. Mac moves one hand out from behind his back, a gesture for peace.

Mac speaks slowly, trying to remain calm, inching a step closer. “Just hang on a second, I’m sure there’s-“

Jack doesn’t see what happens next but he feels it, a whiff of air past his face, and hears a horrible wet squelch near his ear before the man screams, his gun sliding harmlessly down Jack’s shoulder into Jack’s now free hands. 

When Jack turns to look, the terrorist has Mac’s little red pocket knife embedded in the socket while the man writhes on the floor. It’s a gory sight, but they have a job to do, and they don’t hesitate to finish the mission. Jack restrains the man while Mac finds the trigger and disarms it.

They don’t discuss it, or anything at all really, until they get back to Mac’s porch for a few beers. It’s quiet, both of them clearly reflecting on how close it had been for everything today, all saved in a hail-Mary move by Mac’s quick hand and the most amazing knife throw of the century.

“You know I didn’t know you could do that.” Jack says without explanation. Mac gives him a look like he wishes Jack hadn’t mentioned it.

“I did what I had to...” Mac mumbles and takes a long drink, eyes cast toward the fire. Jack chuckles.

“Yeah dude, I know but it’s just... we’ve know each other for how dang long? Five years? Six? And I don’t think I’ve ever seen you ever throw like that before. What other talents you hiding over there with master knife throwing abilities?”

Mac gives him a sad look. “I’m not hiding anything from you. I can’t throw knives Jack, it’s not a skill. I just did it, that’s it...”

Jack guffaws, “oh no need to be humble, hoss. You had that sucker pegged dead center bullseye... well you know. You can’t tell me that was some sort of lucky shot in the dark, I mighta been born a long time ago, but I’m not senile, alright?”

But when Mac looks at him this time, his eyes are sad and dark. And then it clicks.

“Wait, wait... You’re serious? You didn’t know if you could make it you just- how did you know I wasn’t gonna-“

Mac looks away and hides his eyes in his hands, leaving his beer on the arm rest to condensate. Jack watches Mac hide himself, can see the shame and terror from the way his shoulder hunch up under his ears.

“Mac?” He asks, goes to crouch down in front of Mac and rests a hand on his knee. “It’s okay, man.”

Mac’s hands drop and he looks a hell of lot older than his late twenties as he stares down at Jack. “Nothing about this is okay, Jack. I could have killed you. That son of a- he was going to kill you. And if I didn’t stop him who knows how many would’ve...”

Jack watches Mac struggle for the words, but he hopes if they hash this out now, Mac will see the rightness of his impossible decision. The rightness of an unpracticed knife throw from across the room in a dimly lit basement that had been inches from Jack’s face.

“You did what you had to Mac. If you had an egg timer and some gum you probably could’ve made me a shield, but all you had was that little knife and I’m proud of you. You did good today you know?”

Mac sighs. “All I could think about... was I had to get him away from you. But I didn’t have anything to do that. And he had the gun and... then I remembered my pocket knife... Jack I’m so sorry.”

“No need for sorries today. You made a call, and it worked out. I’m here and so are you and so many people are alive thanks to you.”

Mac turns glassy eyes on him. “And what if it wouldn’t have been worth it? What if you had died because of me?”

“Mac...” Jack says softly, can see the way Mac is tearing himself apart. “You and I both know, those kinda questions lead to crazy. We do our job, however we have to. I’m here right now because of you and I’m grateful for it. No matter the risk, you did the right thing, alright?”

“Yeah....” Mac whispers quietly and Jack can see that there won’t be any winning this disagreement tonight, Mac just doesn’t want to argue it anymore. That’s the nature of the work somedays. Sometimes there isn’t a right answer, you only have the aftermath it leaves behind, and if your lucky, the people you care about are still standing too. They can handle it, one day at a time.

They sit in thoughtful silence and they finish their drinks. Tomorrow, they’ll face more impossible decisions, just like they always do, together.


	19. “So I may have gotten a little drunk.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for KatieComma “so I may have gotten a little drunk.” “A little?”

Mac wakes to what feels like a chainsaw in his head and the blast of rock music somewhere in the room. His view of the world tips and spins and he hides under a pillow on the couch.

There’s a deafening clanging from behind him, metal pans he thinks and the sizzle of something cooking makes his stomach roll. He groans as his aching head protests it all and hears a booming voice call out, “Good morning Casanova!”

Mac moans and tries to press the pillow harder over his face but it’s yanked away and vicious light assaults him.

“Jack don’t be cruel.” He whines to his boyfriend, hiding his eyes with hands.

Jack laughs loudly, mockingly. “Oh baby I’m just getting started. You got a lot of explaining to do! And I suggest you start talking before I break out the blender to make you my patented hangover cure with bacon grease and egg yolks.”

That does it. Mac is up and running for the bathroom to worship the porcelain bowl and to beg forgiveness for a heap of bad decisions last night. About tens minutes and a lot of mouthwash later, he returns to the kitchen to find Jack nursing a cup of coffee with the eeriest sweet expression, but at least it’s quiet.

Mac sighs and steeples his hands on the table while he thinks of how to begin his apology. “So... I may have gotten a little drunk...”

“A little?” Jack says mildly, “oh darlin’, a little doesn’t cover it. If I go light a match by your clothes, they’ll catch fire. You sir were marinated.”

Mac nods. “Yeah alright. You got me there. For what it’s worth I’m sorry...”

Jack nods and takes another sip of his coffee and Mac rubs at his temples. 

“I honestly don’t remember much from last night.”

Jack laughs, ”oh well allow me to enlighten you then. Should we start with the fact that you forgot your key when you came home? So you being the genius that you are, you used a mixture of potting soil and motor oil to create a bomb to blow off the door knob. The neighbors were not happy about your pyrotechnics, dude. And then you come in and go to the garage saying something about you can make us a new door knob, but all you managed to do was throw up on the hood of the GTO. I am not happy about that. When I tried to come back to bed you came in and started trying to unbuckle your pants, telling me you had something important to show me.”

“Oh no...” Mac sighs, his cheeks burning worse than any sunburn he’s ever received.

“Oh yes.” Jack chuckles darkly. “And it gets better. Because after I kicked your ass out to the couch, I found this.” He slaps a piece of paper on the table. It’s a phone number and a neatly scrawled name. Cindy.

Mac balks at the scrap of paper and his heart sinks. “Jack I wouldn’t-“

Jack holds up his hand, smiling a little. “I know that. But I couldn’t resist calling it you know. And you’ll never guess who picks up.”

Mac is afraid to ask. “Who?”

Jack flutters his eyelashes and says in a mock feminine voice. “This is Cindy’s Tattoos, the right ink for you.”

Mac is going to puke again, he’s certain. “Oh no.”

Jack grins at him. “Oh yes. And me and Cindy get to talkin’ about your little night out. She thought you were cute, she tells me you put a stop to her putting the moves on you right away, though. Happily dating the sexiest man in the world, your exact words apparently. But then you guys started talking about her tattoos and then you had this great idea. So... how’s your ass anyway?”

Mac stands and undoes his pants enough to see a bandage covering his ass cheek. “Oh no.”

Jack’s smile is nearly ear to ear and it’s smug enough to be a response of its own. Mac pulls the bandage up to see a well done, well-colored Texas outline with the Delta arrow inside it. It’s pretty, even if it hurts now that it’s exposed to the open air. He turns to look at Jack and Jack remains watching him silently, awaiting answers. 

“I didn’t plan for this.” Mac says immediately. “It was just drinks with Desi but then she left and I stayed and... look, I know we promised we’d get tattoos together but I didn’t plan on getting this.”

Jack shakes his head, smile softening just a bit. “I’m not mad.”

Mac goes to explain more, grovel further, but stops. “Wait, you’re not?”

Jack shrugs. “Well I was pissed for the 3 am wake up call via door bomb. And then I was really pissed when I saw the mess you made of the GTO, which you will clean, starting immediately after this conversation. And I was pretty hot when I saw that phone number but lucky for you, your tattoo artist was all too happy to share the details of your gushing over ‘your sexy sweet cowboy’. I just wanted to make you squirm a little. So you’re forgiven, barring we don’t have an encore, capiche?”

Mac sinks into his chair, relieved and yelps when it pulls against the tender tatted skin of his butt-cheek. Jack nods at him.

“And I figure that ink is more than enough reminder. Yeah?”

Mac nods, smiling at Jack, so grateful he’s off the hook for what could’ve been a way worse scenario. Jack stands and grabs a set of keys from the counter and tosses them underhand to Mac who barely has the mental capacity to catch it. 

Jack waves toward the door in a “get going” gesture and Mac complies. 

Later, Jack shows Mac just how much he likes that tattoo.


	20. Prompt: deathbed confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reads like Jack’s dying but nobody dies

It’s been said that when death comes, you won’t feel it. The hand of death is numb and dark before you see the light. Jack’s always been ready for it, even if he’s spent a large majority of his life out running it.

So when he opens his eyes and finds only a shadowy world and human shaped figures along with a sensation of floating in cold, Jack figures his luck ran out. He’s about to buy the farm. He doesn’t know how or why but he hopes it was worth it. 

“....-ck, can you hear me? Jack?”

Someone is calling for him. The voice is far away but he knows who it is. He’d know that voice anywhere. Mac. His partner, his best friend. Here with him at the end. There’s no one he’d rather have here to see him shuffle off the mortal coil.

Jack is suddenly overwhelmed with the need to confess the truth to him, here in his last moments. And given that he won’t be around to deal with the fallout, he can’t think of a reason to not tell him. That’s what deathbed confessions are all about anyway right?

His voice is hoarse and broken when he finally manages to use it. “Mac...”

“That’s right buddy, I’m right here.” Mac promises next his ear. He wishes he could see him, but the dark seems to be winning and he fears he doesn’t have enough time.

“Mac... you have to know... before I’m gone that I love you.”

“Jack what are you talking about?” Mac says, voice hushed and afraid. “You’re not going anywhere...”

Jack has just enough sensation to feel tears escape down his cheeks. “You don’t have to lie, I’m not afraid to die... but I couldn’t go without telling you just once... how much you mean to me. I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to tell you till now... love you so much man...”

“Jack...” Mac makes a soft choked sound under his breath. “Jack, listen to me, you’re not dying okay? You’re fine, I promise.”

Jack feels Mac’s hand brush against his cheek, wiping away the tears. “It doesn’t hurt, Mac... I can’t see anything. But I’m glad it’s you with me...”

There’s a click somewhere behind them and an explosion of light fills the background, his blurry vision can only just barely make out the shape of Mac’s golden hair silhouette beside him.

A female voice somewhere in the room asks, “how’s our boy doing?”

Mac answers, to Jack’s utter confusion, “he’s coming around but he’s confused. He seems to be having trouble seeing.”

There’s footsteps approaching before a warm hand lands at his temple. Then a droplet lands in both eyes, clearing the blurriness away.

“That should help his vision. I’ll let his Doc know he’s awake.” The woman reports and Jack blinks as Mac’s soft smile comes into focus.

“Hey big guy, you can see now right?” Mac asks gently, holding Jack’s hand and he stares at it like it’s a trick of the light. He glances down and sees a hospital blanket covering him up to his chest, his left hand casted up to the elbow.

“Mac?” Jack whispers and Mac leans in, keeping Jack’s hand in his even as he presses it to his cheek. “What happ’nd?”

“You’re alright, Jack. You’re in post-op. You’re not dying, just hopped up on the good stuff.”

Oh. Well shit. 

But before he can address the elephant he just put in the room Mac’s tender smile goes wide.

“That was some deathbed confession. But don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret. That’s what husbands are for right?” Mac promises, holding out his left hand to show where a dark band glimmers on his ring finger.

Jack can’t help but grin as he lays back into his bed. He’s not dying and he’s married to his best friend. He’s the luckiest dude ever.


	21. Overheard a conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from KatieComma: overheard a conversation about having feelings for the other

Mac had noticed something was going on with Jack after he got back from the Kovac’s mission. He couldn’t quite put a finger on what exactly but he knew from the first hug that something was wrong.

It was like Jack was purposely putting up barriers between them. Never leaving them too alone with each other. If they did somehow end up alone in a room together, Jack would always make an excuse to leave. 

Frankly, it hurt. His best friend, his partner, the only person he’d ever trusted all his secrets too, now seemed to want nothing to do with him. And yes, okay he was kinda head over heels for Jack, so it hurt to be so ignored by him but it felt like their friendship had somehow been downgraded to lukewarm acquaintanceship. 

Mac was starting to wonder if the long mission away had given Jack time to realize Mac was a lot weirder than he thought. He wondered how long it would be till another ‘secret’ mission came up and he’d leave again for another year or more, staying less and less in contact until he eventually just left all together.

He had tried to ask him if he’d done something wrong but Jack had just changed the subject and avoided him all together. So then he had asked Riley if she noticed it but all she said was that a lot could’ve happened to Jack while he was gone, maybe he just needed time to readjust to being home. He wanted to believe she was right but a large part of him said there was more.

Finding out via eavesdropping wasn’t exactly the way he’d guessed it would come to light.

It was after a mission close to home, everyone had come along for the usual post-op beers celebration. Bozer and Desi had bailed early, leaving just Jack, Riley and Mac to soak up the evening glow of a fading sunset. It was quiet, too quiet, as they sat enjoying their drinks. Every little conversation they tried to start flickered and died out and it was painfully awkward. Mac could barely stand it.

Wasn’t it enough that Jack had gone to right the wrong of Kovac’s existence? Why couldn’t they just go back to the way they were? Why did it seem that every time they need to face threats, there was always a cost too high behind it? Charlie, his dad, now Jack too it seems.

He excused himself to get another drink when he thought he might explode with the questions in his head and stayed in the kitchen till he felt like he could stay calm. Grabbing a couple extra drinks to take with him, he paused at the cracked open sliding doors when he heard Riley whisper almost angrily to Jack.

“-over this and just come clean!” She hissed and Jack was shaking his head, gesturing with a free hand to the house.

“You know I can’t!” Jack grumbles back.

Riley slams the bottle she has in hand down on the arm chair and points at Jack.

“The only thing I know is that your being a coward and you’re hurting Mac. He’s been through enough.”

“Exactly!” Jack growls back. “This will only hurt him too! Give him one more thing to feel bad about. I can’t do it Riley. He deserves better than me.”

Riley smacks her forehead, shaking her head in exasperation. “Then either get a better poker face or clear out because you holding him at arm’s length is only making it worse. He’s only been waiting for you to come home and now that you here and you won’t even talk to him. That’s wrong, Jack, and you know it. If you really love him, you’ll make this right for him.”

Jack stands up and paces to the railing, while Mac’s heart thumps wildly in his chest. Is Riley saying that- Jack is in love with him?

“It’s because I love him, that I can’t tell him, Riles. If I tell him the truth, he’ll hate that he can’t give me what I want. And worse still, what if he does want to be with me? I’m a washed up old spook who’s old enough to be his father for Christ sake! I’m literally robbing the cradle and his future. It’s not right Riley!” 

Riley sighs. “I think you should let him be the judge of that, Jack. It’s his life after all.”

Jack shrugs with a frown. “I don’t know where to start, honey. I’ve been trying to figure out how since I got back.”

Mac takes that as his cue to let them know he’s back. “I think that was a good start.”

The silence is overwhelming for a moment as Jack stares at him, his face caught in a horrified mix of shame and surprise. Riley quickly stands and offers to give them some time to themselves, but promises she’s just a call away if they need her.

After she’s gone, Mac can’t help but ask the only question on his mind. “Did you mean it?”

Jack swallows and hides his eyes, crossing his arms as he leans back against the railing like he expects to be dressed down for a crime. “Yeah. I did.”

Mac crosses the deck and makes Jack turn to him. “Open your eyes and tell me. Are you in love with me?”

Jack’s eyes open, full of resignation. “Yes, Mac. I’m in love with you. Have been for years now, just didn’t realize till there was a chance I might never come home again that it was more than a brother’s love. You don’t-“

Mac holds up a hand for silence and Jack closes his mouth. “That’s why you’ve been avoiding me? Because you didn’t want to tell me? Because you didn’t want me to ‘settle’ for you?”

Jack nods and Mac wants to shake him for being so carelessly self sacrificing that he almost let this wonderful thing they have between them fall apart. He wants to kiss him because for the first time since Jack came home, he feels like he’s really seeing the real him.

“And if I tell you that I love you too... will you believe me? Will you let me choose you?”

Jack’s eyes flutter shut for a moment and when they open they’re wet but shimmering bright. “If you’re sure-“

Mac seals the next words against Jack’s lips and there isn’t a lot of talking that happens from there. He’s never been so sure of anything in his life and he’ll gladly spend the rest of it catching up for lost time.


End file.
